Stud spacer gauge



May 8, 1956 s. c. JONDOLE STUD SPACER GAUGE Filed June 9, 1952 0 M 1 a 4 y IM/LWII'LMWWHII i fl F I J United States Patent 2,744,334 STUD SPACER GAUGE Stephen C. Jondole, Chicago, Ill. Application June 9, 1952, Serial No. 292,451

Claims. (Cl. 33-180) This inventionrelates to a gauge and more particularly to a gauge which may be so constructed as to include as.

a part thereofa compartmented container.

It is the general object of this invention to produce a new and improved gauge of the type described.

While it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the gauge of this invention has many applications the as studs, it being understood that the term includesjoists,

rafters and the like.

The normal procedure in constructing walls, for example, calls for the workman to lay the two-by-four studs in parallel relationship and secure them to top and bottom plates so that. the wall section is constructed in horizontal position and subsequently raised to vertical position at the spot where the wall is designed to be placed. After the wall has been erected sheathing. is normally secured to the exterior surface of the wall. and lath or wallboard is secured to the interior surface to complete the wall structure. An exterior surface such as siding or masonry may be applied over the exterior sheathing depending upon the type of construction. A common form of sheathing material is a pressed fiberboard type of structure which is fabricated in specific sizes, usually four-by-eight feet. This shape enables the sheathing to be applied to the studs with both side edges of the sheathing being located at the position of the stud so that they may be secured thereto. Similarly interior wallboard is made in four-byeight foot sizes for the same reason. The speed and efiiciency with which sheathing and wallboard precut to the sizes mentioned may be applied on the studding can be achieved only if the studs are properly spaced and are parallel to each other throughout their entire length. If the stud spacing is slightly greater or slightly less than sixteen inches the side edges of the sheathing material or the wallboard will not partially overlap a stud at each end but may be too long wherein it must be cut in order to fix the next sheath to the same stud or be too short which means the entire sheath must be trimmed back to the last stud, which trimming must also be done with subsequent sheets in order properly to install the material. Similarly floor joists are often covered with a subfiooring of plywood which again isnormall'ycut into four-by-eight sheets and if the joists are improperly spaced the same type of difiiculty will ensue.

The particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing is particularly adapted for properly spacing such studsin order that the studs maybe-parallel to each other and properly spaced apart. Furthermore, the gauge includes a compartmented container as an integralpart a 2 2,744,334 Patented May 8,- 1956 z. thereof,.which container may be used to hold the nails and hammer of the. carpenter and such other tools and equipment as he may find' necessary in and about his wor Other features and advantages of the. invention will be readily apparent from the following description and drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a gauge embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device showing the adaptability of the gauge for stud spacings other, than sixteen inches;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along line 44 of Fig. l and showing one end of the gauge; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of several types of gauge members'usable with the device.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one specific embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, the gauge comprises a v substantially rectangular open topped container 10 having parallel side walls 11 and 12', a bottom 13 and a-pa'ir of end walls 14 and 15 secured to the side and bottom walls in parallel relationship. Where the gauge is to be used to space studs, the distance separating the end walls 14 and 15 is approximately fourteen inches.

' The side walls 11 and 12 and the bottom wall 13 are bent at right angles at the ends of the container to form overlying flanges 11a, 12a and 13a which are secured to the endwalls 14 and 15 by the rivets" 16 as shown in Fig. 4. Each of the end walls is bent near its top into the form of a U to form a channel 17 extending across the top ofeach of the end walls. Removably secured in each of the channels are a pair of gauge members which, as shown. in Fig. 6, are substantially L-shaped having a top portion 20 adapted to extend horizontally in line with the top of the container and a second portion 21 extending at right angles therefrom, with each of the gaugemembers being provided with an opening 22' through which bolts 23 and 23a may extend to hold the gauge members in position within the channels 17, each beingprovided with suitable openings 24 for the reception of the bolts. Preferably the bolts extend completely through the container and through openings 25 provided in the bottom wall 13, and nuts 26 are threaded on the bolts and positioned immediately beneath the portion of the end walls which forms the lower side of the channel 17. Wing nuts 26 and 26a are threaded to the top of the bolts to secure the gauge members in position and also to secure a handle 27 to the gauge.

As best seen in Figs. 1 and 2, with the gauge members secured to the container, the gauge may be positioned over a pair of parallel studs 30' and 31 and serves not only to hold them in position for nailing, but also serves correctly to spa'ceithe studs from each other inasmuch as thevertically extending'sidesll and 21 11 ofthe gaugeniembers are spaced from the side walls" 14 and 15 a distance of approximately two inches so that the centers of the studs 30 and 31 are sixteen inches a'part.

Inasmuch as the gauge-members areremovably secured to the container portion of the gauge, gauge members of diiierent lengths maybe employed wl'iere-sp'acings of other than sixteen inches-are required. Thus the gauge member of Fig. 5 may be used which includes a top portion- 40' and two: portions 41 and 42' which extend downwardly therefrom, with the: portions 41 and 42 being spaced apart the normal two inch width of a stud and with the portion 41 being spaced from the adjacent end wall 14 a distance of four inches so that with one of the gauge members of Fig. 5 secured to one end of the container the stud spacing is twenty inches. If two of such gauge members are used the resulting spacing is of course twenty four inches.

It is believed that the operation of the device is readily apparent from the foregoing description, and when in use in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the container portion may be utilized to hold the carpenters hammer, nails and the like and thus provide an efficient and conveniently used tool. Preferably the gauge members and container are constructed of heavy gauge steel although obviously other materials may be used in the construction of the gauge. By use of the gauge accurate spacing of the studs is insured and thus other materials such as sheathing, plywood and the like may readily be attached to the studs with complete assurance that the studs in the wall or floor are properly spaced so as to permit installation of such materials without trimming or cutting.

I claim:

1. A gauge comprising a pair of end plates spacing means rigidly connected to the end plates and maintaining said plates in spaced parallel relationship, and a pair of substantially L-shaped gauge members secured to the spacing means with each member having one leg of the L lying in spaced parallel relationship to a different one of the end plates to form therewith a substantially U-shaped channel extending transversely of the spacing means with the channels being adapted to receive and support a pair of studs in laterally spaced parallel relationship.

2. A gauge comprising a substantially rectangular member having parallel side walls, a bottom wall and a pair of end walls secured to the side and bottom walls in spaced parallel relationship in the form of an open top container, and gauging means secured to the opposite ends of the member in spaced parallel relationship to the end walls to form therewith a substantially U-shaped channel at each end of the gauge extending transversely of the side walls for the reception of elements to be gauged thereby.

3. A gauge comprising a substantially rectangular member having parallel side walls, a bottom wall and a pair of end walls secured to the side and bottom walls in spaced parallel relationship in the form of an open top container, and a pair of gauge members secured to the opposite ends of the member and defining a pair of substantially U-shaped channels extending transversely of the side walls for the reception of elements to be gauged thereby.

4. A gauge comprising a substantially rectangular open topped member in the form of a container having parallel side walls, a bottom wall and a pair of end walls secured to the side and bottom walls in parallel relationship and spaced apart thereby a distance of approximately fourteen inches, and a pair of substantially L-shaped gauge members secured to the opposite ends of the container member with each gauge member having one leg of the L extending outwardly of the container member parallel with the top thereof and having the other leg of the L ex-- tending parallel to the adjacent end wall and spaced there from a distance of approximately two inches with said other legs forming with said end walls a pair of channels extending transversely of the side walls and whose centers are spaced apart a distance of approximately sixteen inches with each channel being adapted to receive therein a stud to be gauged.

5. A gauge comprising a substantially rectangular open topped member in the form of a container having parallel side walls, a bottom wall and a pair of end walls secured to the side and bottom walls in parallel relationship and spaced apart thereby a distance of approximately fourteen inches, and a pair of substantially L-shaped gauge members each adapted to be removably secured to the opposite ends of the container member with each gauge member having one leg of the L extending outwardly of the container member parallel with the top thereof and having the other leg of the L extending parallel to the adjacent end wall and spaced therefrom a distance of approximately two inches with said other legs forming with said end Walls a pair of channels extending transversely of the side walls and whose centers are spaced apart a distance of approximately sixteen inches with each channel being adapted to receive therein a stud to be gauged.

6. A gauge comprising a substantially rectangular open topped member in the form of a container having parallel side walls, a bottom wall and a pair of end walls secured to the side and bottom walls in parallel relationship and spaced apart thereby a distance of approximately fourteen inches with each of the end walls being bent upon itself near the top of the container member to form thereat a substantially U-shaped channel extending across the end wall, and a pair of substantially L-shaped members each adapted to have one leg thereof removably secured in a different one of said channels to extend outwardly of the container member parallel with the top thereof with the other leg of the L extending parallel to the adjacent end wall and spaced therefrom a distance of approximately two inches with said other legs forming with said end walls a pair of channels extending transversely of the side walls and whose centers are spaced apart a distance of approximately sixteen inches with each channel being adapted to receive therein a stud to be gauged.

7. A gauge comprising a substantially rectangular open topped member in the form of a container having parallel side walls, a bottom wall and a pair of end walls secured to the side and bottom walls in parallel relationship and spaced apart thereby with each of the end walls being bent upon itself near the top of the container member to form thereat a substantially U-shaped channel extending across the end wall, and a pair of substantially L-shaped members each adapted to have one leg thereof removably secured in a different one of said channels to extend outwardly of the container member parallel with the top thereof with the other leg of the L extending parallel to the adjacent end wall and spaced therefrom with said other legs forming with said end walls a pair of channels extending transversely of the side walls and whose centers are spaced apart with each channel being adapted to receive therein a stud to be gauged.

8. A gauge comprising a substantially rectangular open topped member in the form of a container having parallel side walls, a bottom wall and a pair of end walls secured to the side and bottom walls in parallel relationship and spaced apart thereby a distance of approximately fourteen inches, means forming a channel extending across each of the end walls adjacent the top of the container, a pair of substantially L-shaped gauge members each adapted to have one leg thereof inserted into a different one of the channels to extend outwardly of the container member parallel with the top thereof with the other leg of the L extending parallel to the adjacent end wall and spaced therefrom a distance of approximately two inches, with said other legs forming with said end walls a pair of channels extending transversely of the side walls and whose centers are spaced apart a distance of approximately sixteen inches with each channel being adapted to receive therein a stud to be gauged, a handle extending across the top of the container, and a bolt at each end of the container member and extending through openings formed in said handle, gauge members, and the first named channels removably to secure said gauge members to the container.

9. A gauge comprising a substantially rectangular open topped member in the form of a container having parallel side walls. a bottom wall and a pair of end walls secured to the side and bottom walls in parallel relationship and spaced apart thereby a distance of approximately fourteen inches, means forming a channel extending across each of the end walls adjacent the top of the container, a pair of gauge members each having at least a portion in the shape of an L and each adapted to have one leg thereof inserted into a different one of the channels to extend outwardly of the container member parallel with the top thereof with the other leg of the L-shaped portion extending in spaced parallel relationship with the adjacent end Wall, said gauge members forming a pair of channels extending transversely of the side walls and adapted to receive therein a stud to be gauged, a handle extending across the top of the container member, and a bolt'at each end of the container member and extending through openings formed in said handle, gauge members, and the first named channels removably to secure said gauge members to the container.

10. A gauge comprising a substantially rectangular open topped member in the form of a container having parallel side Walls, a bottom wall and a pair of end walls secured to the side and bottom walls in parallel relationship and spaced apart thereby a distance of approximately fourteen inches, means forming a channel extending across each 6 of the end walls adjacent the top of the container adapted to receive a gauge member inserted therein, a handle extending across the top of the container member, and a bolt at each end of the container member and extending through openings formed in said handle, gauge members, and the first named channels removably to scour sa-id gauge members to the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 807,957 Neptune Dec. 19, 1905 1,380,485 Langeberg June 7, 1921 1,549,671 Kridler Aug. 11, 1925 1,586,946 Carr June 1, 1926 1,989,141 Leonard Jan. 29, 1935 2,139,893 Heasley Dec. 13, 1938 2,243,468 Johnson May 27, 1941 

